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GWEN IFILL: There are protests again tonight in suburban Denver in Colorados second largest school district, where students have been battling over what should be taught in Advanced Placement history classes.

Nationally, some standards have already changed. But in recent weeks, Colorado has been the central focus, as the local school board responded with its own plan, and students and teachers are pushing back.

Hari Sreenivasan has the story.

HARI SREENIVASAN: The conflict over curriculum thats sparked nearly two weeks of protests has now come to a head. Its the prime topic at tonights school board meeting in Jefferson County, Colorado, just outside Denver.

Board president Ken Witt:

KEN WITT, President, Jefferson County Board of Education: I hope we come to a to good dialogue and get to a good plan for how to execute the boards obligation to oversee curriculum and to make certain that were doing the right thing for our students to ensure that were offering balanced, thorough curriculum and that were fulfilling our responsibility as a board.

HARI SREENIVASAN: The battle began when the College Board set out new national standards for Advanced Placement U.S. history courses. Theyre used by college-bound students to earn college credits. But a number of conservatives argued the standards depict the United States in a negative light and distort key events.

In Jefferson County, the school boards conservative majority called for naming a committee to make changes. One member offered a plan that said classroom materials should quote promote citizenship, patriotism, essentials and benefits of the free enterprise system, respect for authority and respect for individual rights.

At the same time, it said the course shouldnt encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law.

That language set off waves of students leaving class to march with signs and flags.

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AP History class standards spark fight over patriotism and censorship

Okay, censorship or regulation can sometimes be bad. But sometimes it can be amusing and even smart. Like this.

Starting in late November, the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo is holding an Attack on Titan exhibition. Livedoor News reports that, to promote the exhibit, these following posters are on display at Roppongi Station in Tokyo.

Attack on Titan shows giants eating people. So, as a funny form of self-censorship, the posters feature the giants eating things like hot dogs and fried chicken. At the top of the posters, it reads, (jishu kisei chuu) or "voluntary regulation."

Here's an uncensored image from the manga for comparison:

Personally, I don't think people would get too fussed by images in the manga (then again, maybe they would?). If anything, this seems like a clever stunt to drum up interest in the upcoming exhibit.

Good, because the exhibit, which kicks off on November 28 and runs to next January 25, sounds really cool. There is special art from Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama, a "sound and light" theater presentation, a special Oculus Rift 3D movie, a realistic Titan, and more.

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Clever Self-Censorship for Attack on Titan Posters

Students strip off their clothes in mass censorship protest of conservative new history curriculum
Students strip off their clothes in mass censorship protest of conservative new history curriculum Thousands of high school students across suburban Denver d...

By: Amez News

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Students strip off their clothes in mass censorship protest of conservative new history curriculum - Video

Twitter Indias Bizarre Censorship
Twitter suspended the account of online activist Suresh Nakhua - who demanded that Rajdeep Sardesai - a renowned Indian journalist - be sacked for his indecent and hooligan-like behaviour with...

By: NitiCentral

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Twitter Indias Bizarre Censorship - Video

For many analysts, the idea that one might link China and ethics in the same breath in talking of information freedom might seem strange. In cyberspace, it is a country known more for its i-dictatorship rather than its e-democracy.

Yet, as surely as China has moved from peoples communes in agriculture to private household production or from banning private property to embracing it, China is also well down the path toward information freedom.

It may yet have several very big obstacles to cross, not the least continued censorship and punishment for dissemination of politically unorthodox ideas. But China is on that path, even if it would be a brave person who might predict the arrival time for the journeys end. Will it be in this decade or the next one?

As long as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) remains in power, its default position would appear to be one of information dictatorship and continued suppression of ideas that challenge key CCP orthodoxies.

The degree and character of censorship has changed massively in the last three decades. In spite of this widespread liberalization, the CCP is not giving up easily on this last bastion of dictatorship the control of information. In fact, since Xi Jinping came to power in November 2012, the screws have been tightened further.

One of the best indicators of this has been the issue of regulations concerning re-registration of all journalists in China dependent on their familiarity with CCP ideology. The regulations on journalists couple with a prohibition on Chinese news outlets from carrying news items from any other media source, especially foreign ones, without special dispensation.

So what basis is there for any hope that the CCP might tear down the remaining obstacles to information freedom in this secret state? One answer lies in understanding the trajectory of Chinas innovation policy and the related policy of CCP control of education, especially the universities.

The countrys leaders have staked the future of the CCP on a promise of national resurgence and leadership in science and technology. The trajectory of innovation policy in China has been impressive, as have been the necessary enabling departures from Communist orthodoxy.

One of the most significant was official recognition beginning in the middle of the first decade of this century that the private sector, not the government, was the key to establishing a thriving national innovation system.

A second evolution was the recognition that such a system depends on a vibrant and creative relationship between university-based research and the private sector.

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Can China Innovate Without Freedom of Information?